The present invention relates generally to a folding knife having a cantilever member for selectively retaining the blade of the folding knife in a retracted position.
Folding knives continue to be popular due to their small size, when the blade is in the retracted position, and their functionality, when the blade is in an extended position. Folding knives may include a blade which is manually withdrawn from the folded position to the extended position, or may include means for automatically propelling the blade from the retracted position to the extended position upon actuation of a trigger mechanism.
Another type of folding knives are known as assisted opening folding knives and ordinarily require the user to manually move the blade through a predetermined angle before a mechanism is activated to propel the blade to the extended position.
Various means are available for maintaining the blade in the folded, or retracted, position, typically within or adjacent to the handle of the folding knife. The purpose of such means are to prevent the blade from inadvertently opening or otherwise moving from the retracted position. Maintenance of the blade in the retracted position until it is desired to be used can be significant, in that should the blade open in an uncontrolled manner, personal injury and/or damage to property could occur.